Microsoft shared updates on the progress of its data center region in Saudi Arabia as the company announced the completion of construction on all three Azure availability zones, with availability anticipated in 2026.
Located in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, each of the three Azure availability zones features independent power, cooling, and networking infrastructure. They will be equipped with state-of-the-art hardware to enable government and private sector companies in Saudi Arabia to seamlessly run their workloads in the cloud with low latency and high availability options.
The new data center region in Saudi Arabia will offer enterprise-grade reliability and performance combined with customer privacy, data residency, and high-speed latency standards on par with the rest of Microsoft’s global cloud infrastructure of more than 60 Azure regions – one of the largest and most secure in the world. The investments are consistent with Microsoft’s commitment to empowering every person and organization on the planet to achieve more and include a focus on responsible cloud practices, including security, digital safety, privacy, compliance, and transparency, as well as adherence to Microsoft’s core values and ethical principles.
Speaking on the occasion, Deputy minister for technology at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Eng Mohammed Al Robayan, said: “Saudi Arabia is well positioned to become a thriving global hub of technological breakthroughs, empowering organizations across industries to innovate new cutting-edge solutions that enhance the quality of life for all. We are proud to see the progress on Microsoft’s cloud region, which marks a significant milestone in our journey to achieve our national goals. This infrastructure will enable businesses to unlock new possibilities, harness the power of AI, and drive sustainable growth for the kingdom and the whole region.”
Turki Badhris, President of Microsoft Arabia, commented: “Public and private sector organizations in Saudi Arabia have demonstrated a remarkable appetite to leverage the latest cutting-edge technologies such as AI to thrive in the new digital age and are already relying on Microsoft’s trusted cloud to accelerate their business growth and AI innovation. Now, together with the MCIT, we are excited to share these latest updates on our Saudi Arabia datacenter region, which demonstrate the significant progress we’re making and our commitment to strengthening the Kingdom’s position as a global innovation hub, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”
